Here is where you can make your case if you should so choose. Aside from the Supreme Court, the Court of Owls, established by President Trump and Vice President Vogel in 2016, is the ultimate decider of justice in the land. Presided over by anonymous high level judges, this court will decide your future.

"Your honors, this trial is entirely frivolous. I personally along with Agent Harrington personally witnessed the cyber attack on our systems as it was happening. We logged the attackers IP Address and promptly traced it back to his Internet Service Provider. Upon issuing a subpoena to the company which provided Mr. Granados his internet service we were provided with his true name as well as his address."

Jimmy explained. He hated court. It was bullshit especially since they'd nailed the perp red handed. Still, he did what he had to do as he nodded to the Court of Owls for a moment before he turned on heel. He snapped his fingers and evidence was wheeled out, the first of which being Jory's computer.

"When we executed the Search Warrant upon his apartment we found Mr. Granados still at his computer having completed, in his mind, this grievous breach of security. On this computer are logs upon logs of times Mr. Granados has accessed other networks but more pressingly residing within his computer is connection logs of his attempts to hack into the IRS Database in order to alter government documents." Jimmy snapped his fingers again, more evidence being brought forth "Exhibit B, your honors, are the logs Agent Harrington created of Mr. Granados' multiple attempts to enter our system before she carefully created a trap, bait which Mr. Granados took, as well as evidence of his edits to what he believed to be an IRS document for one Sally King. I will be calling Delilah King to stand as expert witness for this case."

A moment after that, Jimmy turned and Delilah Harrington as she arrived.

"Ms. Harrington would you kindly state your expertise to the court?"

Delilah shifted, sighing "I graduated top of my class at MIT with a PhD in Theoretical Computer Science. I was arrested in 2013 for hacking into the NCIC and was later employed as a consultant by the government."

"Can you lead us through the events of the day?"

"Well, I was doing my normal casework, ya know, hunting down identity thieves and the like when suddenly I got a ping about someone trying to access one of our Databases. I pulled up the log to see if it was just a fluke, but he kept trying to access it..."

"And?"

"I called you. Then I set up a honeypot, a kind of trap, that I allowed the defendant access to see what he was up to without actually compromising any data. Anyways, he went in and edited a file and logged off. Every connection attempt came from the same IP address, so we know with certainty that the one operating that computer is the one who attempted to breach the database to maliciously alter government documents. Like you said, the FBI caught him at the computer...It's as good as finding a murder standing over a dead body with a gun."

"Nothing further. This is an open and shut case, fellas. He was caught red handed. The prosecution rests."

Jimmy Congo wrote:"Your honors, this trial is entirely frivolous. I personally along with Agent Harrington personally witnessed the cyber attack on our systems as it was happening. We logged the attackers IP Address and promptly traced it back to his Internet Service Provider. Upon issuing a subpoena to the company which provided Mr. Granados his internet service we were provided with his true name as well as his address."

Jimmy explained. He hated court. It was bullshit especially since they'd nailed the perp red handed. Still, he did what he had to do as he nodded to the Court of Owls for a moment before he turned on heel. He snapped his fingers and evidence was wheeled out, the first of which being Jory's computer.

"When we executed the Search Warrant upon his apartment we found Mr. Granados still at his computer having completed, in his mind, this grievous breach of security. On this computer are logs upon logs of times Mr. Granados has accessed other networks but more pressingly residing within his computer is connection logs of his attempts to hack into the IRS Database in order to alter government documents." Jimmy snapped his fingers again, more evidence being brought forth "Exhibit B, your honors, are the logs Agent Harrington created of Mr. Granados' multiple attempts to enter our system before she carefully created a trap, bait which Mr. Granados took, as well as evidence of his edits to what he believed to be an IRS document for one Sally King. I will be calling Delilah King to stand as expert witness for this case."

A moment after that, Jimmy turned and Delilah Harrington as she arrived.

"Ms. Harrington would you kindly state your expertise to the court?"

Delilah shifted, sighing "I graduated top of my class at MIT with a PhD in Theoretical Computer Science. I was arrested in 2013 for hacking into the NCIC and was later employed as a consultant by the government."

"Can you lead us through the events of the day?"

"Well, I was doing my normal casework, ya know, hunting down identity thieves and the like when suddenly I got a ping about someone trying to access one of our Databases. I pulled up the log to see if it was just a fluke, but he kept trying to access it..."

"And?"

"I called you. Then I set up a honeypot, a kind of trap, that I allowed the defendant access to see what he was up to without actually compromising any data. Anyways, he went in and edited a file and logged off. Every connection attempt came from the same IP address, so we know with certainty that the one operating that computer is the one who attempted to breach the database to maliciously alter government documents. Like you said, the FBI caught him at the computer...It's as good as finding a murder standing over a dead body with a gun."

"Nothing further. This is an open and shut case, fellas. He was caught red handed. The prosecution rests."

”May it please the Court?” After receiving a nod from the panel, he stood and began to pace before the bench as he started his closing argument. He knew his client was fighting an uphill battle, but Caine was experienced and he thought he could make a good run at the claims.

”My client, Mr. Gra-nay-dos, is stands charged with two crimes: illegal possession of a firearm and violatin’ the… what’s the exact name of this statute…” He glanced down at a yellow paper that was sitting at the far edge of his table, ”Violatin’ the ‘Computer Fraud and Abuse Act’.”

”I need not remind the Court and all parties that the prosecution bears the burden of proof to establish the guilt of my client. Mr. Gra-nay-dos is guilty until proven innocent under the laws of this here great country.”

”Now, the prosecution has failed to raise… they have failed to even mention… any evidence or argument in this trial related to the illegal firearms possession charge. Therefore, your Honors, this honorable court should enter an judgment of ‘not guilty’ on this particular charge.” His deep, educated Mississippi accent started to get on a roll in a build up that a smooth Southern voice could only do.

”Now, I’d like to direct your attention to the charge of violatin’ the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act.”

He picked up the yellow paper and quickly scanned it over, ”The act reads, at least in the pertinent part used by the arrestin’ officer-here before you all today-upon the arrest, that a violation of the statute occurs when there someone ‘intentionally accesses a computer without authorization or exceeds authorized access’.”

”I’d specifically like to emphasize: ‘intentionally accesses a computer without authorization’.”

He set the yellow paper back down on the table and now paced to and fro around the courtroom.

”Now,” he said biting his lower lip. ”In the case that the prosecution brings forward, for my client to be found ‘guilty’ of violatin’ this statute, he would have had to intentionally access this Internal Revenue Service database, correct?”

”My client,” now shaking a finger at Mr. Granados, who was seated at the table, ”would have had to intentionally access this database. The prosecution said that he has ‘accessed other networks’ but the network at issue here is the IRS database.”

”The prosecution has failed to establish the key element in its charge, that my client accessed the database,” his finger wagging now turned to the prosecution’s table but his head was faced toward the judges.

”Mr. Congo, here, has stated that my client, Mr. Gra-nay-dos, has ‘attempted’ to access the IRS database, but at no point does he state that my client succeeded in those attempts and actually accessed the IRS database!”

”In fact!” Caine walked back over to own table quickly and reviewed a notepad where he had taken notes during the prosecution’s statement. ”The prosecution’s own expert witness, Ms. King, even testified to this. Court reporter, would you please read line six of the questionin’ of Ms. King?”

”I pulled up the log to see if it was just a fluke, but he kept trying to access it.” the Court reporter read off of her screen.

”He ‘kept tryin’ to access it’, but there was no actual access.”

He moved away from the table and began around the table. ”Accordin’ to Ms. King, my client did eventually access somethin’, didn’t here. A ‘honeypot’, she called it. Some sort of alternate database with limited information. But the witness admits that she granted him the access to this ‘honeypot’. Court reporter, please read the pertinent part from the transcript.”

”…I allowed the defendant access to see what he was up to without actually compromising any data.”

”Thank you, ma’am. Ms. King ‘allowed access’ to my client. She provided that ‘authorization’ to use this alternate database, this ‘honeypot’. Hell, the ‘intent’ necessary to violate this statute wasn’t even there – at least it wasn’t established by the prosecution! In the prosecution’s description of the events, they admit that my client intended to access the IRS database, not this false database created by Ms. King which he eventually did access.”

He glanced to the prosecution, his client, and finally back to the panel.

”The prosecution has failed at every end to meet its burden regardin’ not only the access of the restricted database but to show that the database he did access under authorization by Ms. King was somehow unauthorized in the first place. All the prosecution has done is put forth some sort of basic claim, called it the Bible, and proclaimed it the truth and the way. That’s not how our justice system works!”

He paused for a moment before finishing his statement.

”What my client tried to do, if the allegations are true, was stupid, yes. But the prosecution has not established guilt on either charge against my client. They didn’t raise the issue of the illegal possession of a firearm. As for the statute, they failed to even formulate an argument in regards to the elements of the violation. My client did not access an IRS database, he accessed a database in which he was authorized to access by Ms. King, and he never intended to access Ms. King’s ‘honeypot’ database in the first place! The prosecution has rested too easily on their laurels, thinkin’ they had a slam dunk case against my young client, and have failed to give my client even the smallest shred of respect in the name of due process. There has been a total failure by the prosecution in their statement, presentation of law, and presentation of evidence to meet their burden of proving beyond a reasonable doubt that my client committed those crimes charged against him and, by golly, the Court should enter a verdict of ‘not guilty’ on all charges against Mr. Gra-nay-dos in the furtherance of the interests of justice. Thank you, the defense rests.”

[Didn't want to edit because it would be a violation of the rules but I obviously meant "innocent until proven guilty" instead of "guilty until proven innocent" at the beginning. Courts will understand mix-ups in speech and let them slide. It's nearly 1 AM here and I need to get to bed for my real attorney work tomorrow lol.]

I find it radically distasteful that someone would be so brazen as to take on the role of attorney without really familiarizing themselves entirely with how trials on MafiaRP work, or for that matter without bothering to ask within the 24 hour period how they should proceed. It was wholly unnecessary for you to make as many posts as you did, or to provide screenshots as you have done. The arrest has already been judged, nothing in the arrest is in contention nor can it be edited without our knowledge.

In the interest of streamlining the trial process, each party is given 24 hours to make a post arguing their side of the trial. Singular. As in a single IC post in which the prisoner is allowed to defend themselves. There is nothing in the rules about Lawyering, so I'm more or less going to allow that to happen, but the rules (however vague they might seem) are rather clear and cut in the regard that each party has a single rp post to argue their side. Since the rules are slightly vague on their intention, I have clarified them and will allow it to pass this time.

However, Caine, your argument about whether or not he 'intentionally accessed' a protected computer is a moot point. He intentionally accessed a honeypot which was established on a protected computer. He has no valid reason to access it and by his editing what he believed to be government documents shows criminal intent. While your attempt at a defense is admirable, it hardly stands. To argue what you are arguing is essentially saying that people busted in undercover operations are not viable because they weren't actually doing what they necessarily thought they were. If someone leaves a front door unlocked, it is still breaking and entering if you enter the domicile without permission. If someone leaves their car unlocked and valuable possessions are stolen, it is still theft. In multiple states 'bait cars' are deployed to capture car thieves. These cars are left with their doors open and keys still in, yet when someone enters the vehicle and drives away with it it is still theft. I would be willing to accept your argument about how it wasn't illegal had a) Not tried multiple times to access an IRS database before being lured into a trap wherein he proceeded to edit a government file and b) Had the bulk of your entire defense not hinged on quoting "Ms. King".

Throughout your defense you cite a "Ms. King" No such person exists and as such any dialogue you are using from her in conjunction with your defense is null and void. Perhaps the next time you choose to represent a player, you will conduct due diligence and actually read the LEO's post. Also, the specific citation of the Computer Fraud and Abuse act occurred OOCly, not ICly.

In Conclusion,

There is no such thing as a plea of innocence in my court. A plea of innocence is guilty of wasting my time. Guilty.

Jory Granados is NOT GUILTY of Possession of a Firearm, since it was never mentioned by the prosecution.

Jory Granados is GUILTY of violating the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act.

Jory Granados you are hereby remanded to Shawshank Federal Penitentiary for a stay of [7] Days, upon release you are barred from possessing any home computing device for 180 Days pursuant to this courts judgment.

Good luck with your IRL Lawyering.

BEHOLD, THE GREATEST ACHIEVEMENT IN THE UNIVERSE; THE SINGULARITY ENGINE! THE PERFECT MARRIAGE BETWEEN MAN AND MACHINE. THEIR BEAUTY WILL BE HAUNTING. CAN YOU SEE ME NOW FAAAAATHER? YOU'LL NEVER LEAVE AGAIN.